Thinking about Canada’s Educational Past

On Thursday January 26^th we continued discussing the history of Canadian Education in class. Inevitably, this led to a discussion about residential schools. While discussing Canada’s not so distant past was an important class to have, the tension and unease was palpable. For myself included, I must admit. I struggled to articulate what I wanted to say on the topic. Mostly, I suppose, because I didn’t really know what to say but knew I wanted our class to discuss the topic nonetheless.

I have no answers or solutions to the problems my country created when stripping Aboriginals of their culture and rights… and I know there is no apology that could ever ease the pain that has and continues to haunt First Nations People in this county.

Aboriginal culture continues to be misunderstood and stereotyped in Canada, I believe. My own education on the history of the First Nations People in Canada sorely lacks. In fact, I was never educated about the cultural genocide of Frist Nations People in Canada. It is this lack of understanding and information, I would argue, that seems to sit at the heart of so much racism and bigotry. The irony tastes bitter on my tongue when I consider the information laden world we exist in.

Canadians like to think that the maltreatment of Aboriginals occurred in the past, seldom realizing that the last residential school closed in 1996. Yet, people like to close their eyes to the things they would rather not see. Our blindness appears to have created additional problems in our society; Attawapiskat First Nation quickly comes to mind… However, it is not for me to try and dissect our current political climate in this blog as I lack the information and research and therefore, arguably, lack insight.

 What I do know is that the history of residential schools should serve as a chilling reminder to anyone working in the education system. Society might forget or try to undermine the importance of education. However, the impact of residential schools on Aboriginals in Canada is a sad reminder that indeed, education does shape the minds of the young and therefore society’s future. What I do today in a classroom will undeniably have an effect on what happens tomorrow. 


An addition from the original publication:
I read this article in the Globe and Mail, ironically, after writing this post. Check it out:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/aboriginal-education-gaps-can-no-longer-be-tolerated/article2333517/